Because We're Friends
by Nisie
Summary: He's a delinquent student. But is he really a bad student? Things are not like what they are seen as.


**Disclaimer :** I don't own Kingdom Hearts or any of their characters. =3 This story is inspired by Lee Seung Gi's Difficult Words to Say Music Video. Try look for it at Youtube XD. Well, enjoy the story.

He's a delinquent student. That was my first impression upon seeing the black haired boy writing his name on the board with messy handwriting. I could barely make out what the boy was writing.

Va..nt..Vani..ta…

Vanitas?

"Well you may sit down." The teacher spoke as he walked with so uncaring face and sat next to me. He immediately fell asleep and ignored the teachers.

That was our first meeting.

He was a transfer student. He had bandages over his face and hand that would change places almost every week. The bandages never left his skin. It's always there. The boy had golden hair and messy jet black hair. Vanitas. He's really different from the others.

I had never seen him speak. I tried making up a conversation with him, but the boy just won't reply. It's either he really slept or he was just feigning to escape from the conversation.

Although we sat next to each other, I couldn't understand Vanitas.

"Open your textbooks. Those who don't bring their textbooks shall stand in front of the class and receive punishment." One day the teacher spoke. I knew for sure that Vanitas didn't bring his. He never brought any textbook to school, let alone his bag. He would just spend his day sleeping, or eating in the middle of session.

I looked at the sleeping boy and then tapped his shoulder to wake the black haired. Vanitas stirred a bit. I smiled and then shoved him my book as I stood. Of course the black haired would be confused with what I'm doing.

"You didn't bring your textbook, Mr. Strife?" The teacher asked me. I never forgot to bring mine, the teacher looked really surprised. I smiled to him and apologized as I walked to the front, receiving a few whips on my hand with his rattan cane.

Now I knew how painful it is to receive a punishment.

When I returned to my desk, Vanitas had already returned to his deep slumber. And on top of that, he slept with my textbook as his pillow.

The first time I've seen him chat was when I accidentally saw him along with other delinquents from another school. I've never seen him looking so free and happy. I didn't realize that I was staring at him. Our eyes traded gaze as he spotted me and waved at me.

I didn't understand what he was doing so I waved back. I received a laugh from his friends. Were they mocking me?

I thought that it was his life and it had nothing to do with mine. We're only classmates and just accidentally sat next to each another. We had nothing in common and he won't talk to me. Well, that's fine.

"Hey, there's a fight!" Shout a student when I walked back to my classroom after lunch. I had a bad feeling about this so I hurried to my classroom. And I was right. There was Vanitas, surrounded by other delinquent students who looked pissed by Vanitas. They told him not to be too cocky or something that I couldn't quite catch up due to the crowds.

They woke him up harshly and kicked his desk. Another threw trash on him. He glared at them and then exploded.

"Fight me!" Vanitas shouted as he kicked them and threw a chair to the window.

I couldn't do anything but to stay as a bystander.

The fight continued until few teachers came in and restrained them.

When Vanitas returned to the classroom, he had new bandages on his face. It must be from the fight. I had no idea what caused the other delinquents to do this to Vanitas. But didn't Vanitas do nothing but sleep in classes?

"I hope all of you understand now that textbooks are important. Those who don't bring their textbooks shall stand in front of the class." The teacher said and again, I knew that Vanitas couldn't possibly bring his. I sighed as I shifted my textbook to his desk and stood.

"Again, ?" The teacher asked with a sigh.

And my hands were left red.

I didn't know why I'm doing this for him. Perhaps I pitied him. Perhaps I didn't want him to get even more hurt. But, well, it seemed that my actions were worth the conversation he and I can finally make.

By the time school ended, Vanitas waited for me. I was quite surprised to see him waiting at the gate for me. He looked annoyed, and then asked why I did that.

"You've hurt too much. I can't stand those bandages." I told him. He smiled and then dragged me to the nearest Oden stand.

"You must compress this." He told me as he examined my hands. They were red from the whips I received. I had a small scratch and he gently compressed my hand with the cold canned drink he took. Heck, he even helped me when I couldn't grab the chopsticks correctly.

"Name." He stated so suddenly. I looked at him with a confused face.

"Your name, idiot." He told me. Oh, that's right. I haven't introduced myself to him.

"Ventus." I stated. "Ah, just Ven is also fine." I smiled to him. And for the first time in centuries, he smiled back at me. Not the mocking smile, it was a genuine smile.

Vanitas still loved to take naps in the middle of class sessions. However, something definitely changed from him. It was proven when the teacher asked us to show our textbooks and those who didn't must stand at front. Vanitas was looking away, yet he didn't show any sign of bringing his textbook. He didn't even attempt to take the textbook out of the bag he's carrying.

And I thought he brought it because he carried a bag this time.

I sighed and shove my book to him. It had become a tradition now, so why not doing it again? I'm used to the whips as well.

"Heh." I heard a chuckled as I attempted to stand. Vanitas threw his textbook to the desk. I quickly sat down and pulled my textbook from his desk. The teacher walked past us.

He smiled to me.

And I smiled back.

Ever since then, I started to hang out with him more. He would invite him to the game center he knew and we would spend our time together there.

I learned that he was abused by his own father whenever his father is drunk. His mother left him and he had to work part-time for his school expenses and everything else.

He told me that he hung out with the other delinquents because they were just like him. Children that lived in a darker side of the world. Abused, abandoned, rejected from the society.

In only a few days, we've became good friends. He even introduced me to his friends. And to my surprise, they welcomed me. They enjoyed my company even though I'm different from them. They might be delinquents, but inside, they were kind. They joked and helped each other in need.

Then, I became part of the family.

However, it didn't last long. Sometime after we part from our hang out, an enemy of Vanitas's gang came and beat me up. They told me that this was a warning to Vanitas. I blamed myself for being so weak. But I couldn't possibly win when they were that many and I'm alone.

I tried my best not to show the blue marks on my face to Vanitas. But it was hard for he sat next to me. Of course, he realized that and immediately rained me with questions.

"Who did this to you?" He asked.

"Hey, it was only an accident. I bumped to the lamp post when I wasn't looking." I told him with a slight chuckle, trying my best to lie.

"Don't lie to me, Ven. This can't possibly be caused by a bump. Even if you're idiot enough to bump into one." He told me with a slightly angered tone.

"Don't worry about it, Vanitas. I told you, it's an accident." I assured him with a smile. I didn't want him or his friends to fight anymore. They've suffered enough. I can hold a little bit of pain if it's for them.

However, it seemed like my action only angered the other group even more. They barged in into our classroom and casually challenged Vanitas into a fight. They didn't care about the teacher who is standing next to them. They shove him out of the way and waited for Vanitas. I could tell that the whole classroom are afraid of what they will do. And I knew too well that Vanitas won't stay still.

I grabbed his arm as he stood. I need not say anything. He smiled to me.

"Don't worry." He whispered to me as he let go of my hand and walked away with the other boys.

I stood there for a while, paralyzed, terrified. But I didn't want to regret anything.

So I chased after them. I ran as fast as I could and chased after Vanitas who already rode his bike and exited the gate. I kept running even though I knew I couldn't chase after him. I searched through the town for him and his friends. But they are not even in our usual spot.

When I found him, it was night already. They gathered in an old factory near the harbor. I've used all of my energy finding them. The other gang had baseball bats on their hand. Some had a broken pipe and very few even had guns on them.

Vanitas glared at the man that seemed to be the leader of the other group. I watched as I hid behind the debris piled within the factory. I had to get him out of this situation. I had to get them out, but what can I do?

A sudden realization struck my mind when I saw bags of sands hung up the factory. The control panel was right next to me, and if I'm lucky, the machine should still be working.

I put my everything to reach the control panel and activated it to drop the bags to create a fake out. Hoping that this could distract the enemy's movement and made a chance for Vanitas to get out from this place.

Just like what I predicted, the machine was still working and it dropped the bags of sands to the enemy's group just like my plan. I ran to Vanitas's group and quickly grab Vanitas to run.

We successfully ran away from the enemy and scattered. It was a quick decision from Vanitas to tell his friends to scatter. It's impossible to run in groups. They all agreed and quickly disappeared from my vision.

I've used up all of my energy in finding Vanitas that I could barely run properly. Apparently, Vanitas realized this and quickly carried me on his shoulders while dragging me to a very narrow alley to hide. He clamped his hand over my mouth to keep me from being heard by the enemies chasing us.

It was a successful hide.

I sighed in relief when he finally let go of me. However, I received a slap instead.

"What were you thinking?" He shouted at me. He sounded very angry.

"I…I just…" I looked at him. The moonlight shone on us. His anger was clearly reflected on those shining golden eyes. I couldn't say a thing. I just stared at him.

Then he turned his back to me. "What if you were killed? What will I do?" He muttered with shaking shoulders. He was worried about me. That Vanitas, worried about my safety instead of his own.

"I could say the same, Vanitas." I told him. "I could say the same." I repeated.

The next day, Vanitas was nowhere to be seen. I watched the empty desk beside me. I could still see that lock of jet black hair resting on the desk. I could still see the gentle face he made when he was asleep.

'Where are you, Vanitas?' I thought to myself with worry.

By the time school starts, Vanitas entered the class along with the teacher. Saying that he won't be in this school anymore.

And with that, he bowed down and thanked everyone for everything and left the classroom.

"Vanitas!" I shouted. I ignored what the teacher said and chase after him.

He turned to face me, but all he told me was

"Thanks for being my friend, Ven." He said with a sad smile.

Then he left.

I've lost few friends before. Terra and Aqua for example. They were older from me, but they were my best friends. Once they graduated, I was left alone. They moved together far away from here. However, with Vanitas, it's different.

It's as if, I won't be able to meet him again. And by this, I mean really 'never meet him again'. I had a really bad feeling about this.

I had to do something.

And fast.

Thus again, I chase after him and searched for him. It took me days until I could really pin-point where he is. Apparently this time, he was at another city and the gangs were fighting with each other on the empty lands.

There was nothing I could do to help. But I didn't care. I jumped in anyways. I kept shouting at them to stop. They were all mad. Like hungry wolves, their minds weren't thinking right and just attack those jumping in their way. They didn't even care if they accidentally hit their friends or not.

With lots of struggle, I managed to run past the other guys and straight to the two leaders. I didn't know what I was doing anymore.

I… I only want to save him.

I only want to save my friend.

"STOP! STOP!" I screamed when I saw the other leader beating Vanitas up. I jumped between them and received the punch instead.

"Ven!" Vanitas screamed in horror seeing me hurt. "What are you doing? Get away!" Vanitas yelled at me. But I didn't move. I stared at the other leader. The other man pulled out his gun and shove it to my forehead.

"So you're trying to be hero, eh?" The leader said as he pulled the safety lock. The gun was ready to shoot me anytime.

"You! Stop that! He had nothing to do with this!" Vanitas screamed as he tried to shove me away. But I won't budge. I just stayed there.

"Go on and shoot me. Kill me if you want. Just… stop beating each other." I told him.

I saw the fingers shifted around the trigger. For a moment, the time felt like hours.

I was talking to myself. 'Is it the time? Will I die now? Is this it?' Heck, I don't even get a chance to thank Vanitas for his accompany. Or to apologize for this idiotic act I'm doing.

What if I die in vain? Will I die in vain? Will they keep fighting even after I died?

To my surprise, the leader lowered his gun. He threw away the cigarette on his mouth and told his subordinates to leave. All of the men looked at each other with confusion. But they followed what their leader said anyways and left.

The leader gave me one last glance before leaving.

I was spared.

"YOU IDIOT!" Vanitas yelled at me as he pinned me down. His face full of tears. Still, he made that angry face again. His tears fell to my face. My heart was beating fast. My mind couldn't think properly. Anyone would be feeling like that, I guess. I've just cheated death. I've jumped hell. What am I supposed to say now?

"Why?" He asked me. "Why did you keep coming back to me? Why did you jump into harm after everything I tried to keep you away from it?" He yelled at me.

His face was still covered with scars and bruises. The tears that dropped my face burned as they touched the scars I had on mine as well. It hurt a little, but it's worth the pain if I could save someone.

'Hey, our faces…' I thought as I examined his crying face. Beat up, bruised, swollen…

'It's not that much different.'

"Because, Vanitas…" I said as I smiled. "You're my friend."

"Idiot." was what he told me.

And I chuckled to him.

In the end, the other gang never bothered with us anymore. Vanitas still left the school. But apparently, he still worked at his old place and we could still hang out together.

Years later, college.

"Vanitas, don't sleep." I told him.

"Just… few minutes…" He mumbled. I sighed to him.

"Some things stayed the same." I told him.

"I could say the same, Ven." He chuckled as then I yawned. Oh, it seems like my body can't keep up with it as well. I decided to take a little nap with him.

"The good Ven is taking a nap in class, eh?"

"Oh, shut up, Vanitas." I smiled.


End file.
